Salvia plant named ‘Golden Delicious’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Golden Delicious’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely branching habit; yellow green-colored foliage; and numerous large red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Salvia elegans.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Golden Delicious’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaplant, botanically known as Salvia elegans, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Golden Delicious’.

The new Salvia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of anunnamed selection of Salvia elegans, not patented. The new Salvia wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor during the fall of 2001 fromwithin a population of plants of the parent selection in a controlledenvironment in Hebron, Ill.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings at Hebron, Ill.,since February, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this newSalvia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Golden Delicious have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Golden Delicious’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Golden Delicious’ as a newand distinct Salvia cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Yellow green-colored foliage.    -   4. Numerous large red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Salvia differ primarily from plants of the parentselection in leaf coloration as plants of the parent selection havegreen-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the Salviacultivar Cambridge Blue, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons,plants of the new Salvia differed from plants of the cultivar CambridgeBlue in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia had yellow green-colored leaves        whereas plants of the cultivar Cambridge Blue had green-colored        leaves.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia had red-colored flowers whereas        plants of the cultivar Cambridge Blue had blue-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Salvia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Golden Delicious’ grown in acontainer.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises close-up views oftypical flowers of ‘Golden Delicious’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the winter with day temperaturesranging from 18° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranging from 13° C.to 21° C. Plants were grown in 15-cm containers and were about ten weeksold when the photographs and description were taken. Color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia elegans cultivar Golden Delicious.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unnamed    selection of Salvia elegans, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Perennial. Mostly upright plant habit to slightly            outwardly spreading; narrow inverted triangle. Freely            branching with about two primary stems each with about six            to seven secondary lateral branches; moderately vigorous            growth habit. Flowers arranged in verticillasters on spikes.        -   Plant height.—About 37 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 24 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm to 3.5 cm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color, young: 145A.            Color, woody: 200B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 4.7 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape: Elliptic to ovate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Acute. Margin: Shallowly crenate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute.            Venation pattern: Pinnate; arcuate. Color: Developing and            fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 144B; venation, 144B.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 145A            to more gray than 145A; venation, 145C. Petiole: Length:            About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 145B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single narrow tubular            bilabiate flowers in verticillasters on spikes; flowers face            mostly outwardly. Freely flowering habit, about 34 flowers            per spike. Natural flowering season: Continuous from spring            to late autumn in California.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about            five days on the plant. Flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: 46A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 14 cm to 21 cm. Diameter:            About 3.5 cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 5 mm by 7 mm. Depth (height): About            3 cm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Narrowly tubular and bilabiate; petals            fused at the base. Length, upper petal lobe: About 7 mm.            Length, lower petal lobe: About 6 mm. Width, upper petal            lobe: About 4 mm. Width, lower petal lobe: About 6 mm.            Shape, lobes: Rounded. Apex: Rounded. Margin, upper and            lower petals: Entire. Texture, outer surface: Pubescent.            Texture, inner surface: Smooth. Color: When opening, outer            surface: 46A. When opening, inner surface: 46D. Fully            opened, outer surface: 53C. Fully opened, inner surface:            54C.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at base. Length:            About 4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, outer surface: Pubescent,            minute. Texture, inner surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            outer and inner surfaces: 145A.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 5.5 cm. Diameter:            About 2 mm. Aspect: Upright to about 45° from vertical.            Texture: Pubescent, minute. Color: 145A.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 3 mm.            Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect: About 90° from the peduncle.            Texture: Pubescent, minute. Color: 145A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.            Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther size: About 2 mm by            about 1 mm. Anther color: 46A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: 12B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 3.2 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:            46C. Style length: About 3 cm. Style color: 55D. Ovary            color: 145C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Salvia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Salvia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Salvia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C. to about 36° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘Golden Delicious’,as illustrated and described.